Army, PNP on red alert
Communist rebel slain after lifting of gov’t unilateral ceasefire
The Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID) and the Eastern Mindanao Command as well as the Northeastern and Northern Mindanao Police Regional Offices 13 and 10 (PRO 13, PRO 10) are now on “red alert” status following President Duterte’s lifting of the government’s unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) Saturday night.
President Duterte ordered government forces to resume their offensive operations following the CPP’s failure to come up with its own ceasefire declaration. The President had given the communist rebels until 5 p.m. of July 30 to declare a ceasefire.
Yesterday, a suspected NPA fighter was killed following a clash with 30th Infantry Battalion troopers and police officers in Malimono, Surigao del Norte.
The clash, which took place at about 8 a.m. yesterday, was the first recorded fighting between government forces and the NPA since the lifting of the government unilateral ceasefire last Saturday, said AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla,.
President Duterte ordered the lifting of the ceasefire, which he declared during his State-of-the-Nation-Address last July 25, in wake of the NPA’s failure to declare its own ceasefire last July 30.
The clash lasted for five minutes and resulted in the death of one rebel and the seizure of an AK-47 automatic rifle, two IEDs (improvised explosive devices), assorted ammunition and magazines, and gallons of rice and other foodstuff.
There were no losses on the government side.
Padilla said military and police units were responding to NPA extortion complaints when the clash happened in a hill near the Malimono City Hall.
Apparently, NPA units were suppose to meet their couriers there and pick up money and supplies raised through extortion that victimized residents of Barangays San Isidro and Binucayan, officials said.
However, this was foiled when responding government security forces clashed with the suspected rebels, killing one of them.
Under the red alert status, spokespersons of the 4th ID, PRO-13, and PRO-10 said soldiers are expected to be present in their respective units and prepare for any eventuality that may arise. They said various field troops are also back to defend their respective headquarters and secure and defend village communities in time of harassments.
Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of 4th ID said field troops were also directed to continue without let up their peace and development program, through the “bayanihan” approach. He said field troops are back to their normal functions, including foot patrol and security of key government and private vital installations and villages.
Senior Inspector Charity S. Galvez, head of the Regional Public Information Office of PRO-13, law enforcement functions of the various police units in five provinces and six cities in Caraga region will continue while search and rescue operations for three abducted policemen and one non-uniformed personnel will also step up in Malimono.
“Red alert status and our Project Double Barrel will also continue without let up,” she added. (With a report from Yas D. Ocampo)